The Arizona Fall League is commonly referred to as a showcase circuit or prospect graduating college – a spot the place the Minors’ high abilities collect for six weeks within the Valley of the Solar to compete earlier than placing their stamps on the Majors.
However the six AFL rosters aren’t loaded with High 100 general and High 30 organizational prospects alone. There are under-the-radar names enjoying within the desert too, hoping to make a reputation for themselves each inside their very own methods and throughout the trade at massive. Or no less than they’re underneath the radar for now.
Right here is one prospect ranked exterior his group’s High 30 to keep watch over throughout this Arizona Fall League season:
Blue Jays: Adrian Pinto, 2B/OFRanked No. 30 on our preseason Blue Jays listing, Pinto fell off after opening the season on the IL with a rib subject and enjoying solely 26 video games within the common season, 17 with Excessive-A Vancouver. He was efficient in that point, going 21-for-70 (.300) with three homers, 12 complete extra-base hits and solely 10 strikeouts. That energy is particularly spectacular for a prospect who’s regarded as a high-contact, good-speed kind and stands solely 5-foot-6 within the field. Pinto wants reps to elbow his approach again into the High 30 and can get them with Scottsdale.
Orioles: Jake Cunningham, OFRanked No. 147 on MLB Pipeline’s High 250 Draft prospects listing forward of the 2023 Draft, Cunningham was taken within the fifth spherical (No. 154 general) by the Orioles and signed for slightly below slot ($375K). He entered professional ball with a status for having a power-speed mixture and with some questions on his hit software. These stay, as he has work to do along with his strategy, and the ability didn’t present up in his first full season. The velocity did (29 steals) and he did hit higher when he moved as much as Excessive-A Aberdeen to complete his first full season whereas exhibiting he can play all three outfield spots nicely.
Rays: T.J. Fondtain, LHPFondtain was the 2023 Mountain West pitcher of the 12 months after posting a 2.82 ERA with 99 strikeouts in 92⅔ innings for San Diego State and was even a John Olerud Two-Method Participant of the 12 months finalist as nicely. He was fastball-heavy as an Aztecs junior (79 p.c utilization) however solely sat within the higher 80s, inflicting him to fall to the Rays within the 14th spherical. Tampa Bay used him primarily as a reliever at Excessive-A Bowling Inexperienced, the place he confirmed elevated velo and completed with a 3.38 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 67 strikeouts and solely 13 walks in 61⅓ frames. A top quality fading changeup helped Fondtain submit a stellar break up in opposition to righties (.171 common, .542 OPS in 160 plate appearances), and his management may open up an avenue for the 23-year-old to return to beginning.
Purple Sox: Tyler Uberstine, RHPUberstine maxed out at 75 mph along with his fastball in highschool and pitched for the membership staff at Southern California however could not make the Trojans’ varsity. After he improved his supply and stuff working with former massive leaguer Joe Biemel, he cracked Northwestern’s roster and the Purple Sox drafted him within the nineteenth spherical in 2021. Now he operates within the low 90s along with his two- and four-seam fastballs and within the low 80s along with his sweeper. He had Tommy John surgical procedure in June 2023 and returned to the mound this August, working 4 2/3 innings at Excessive-A.
Yankees: Jackson Fristoe, RHPPart of Mississippi State’s 2021 Faculty World Sequence championship staff, Fristoe has stood out extra for his stuff than his polish in school and since turning professional as a Twelfth-rounder in 2022. He has good metrics on his mid-90s fastball and mid-80s sweeper, and he posted a 3.79 ERA with 40 strikeouts in 38 Excessive-A innings this 12 months whereas coping with some shoulder points.
Guardians: Dylan DeLucia, RHPDeLucia was named Most Excellent Participant on the 2022 Faculty World Sequence after main Mississippi to its first nationwide championship and went within the sixth spherical that July, however his professional debut was delayed for 2 years due to Tommy John surgical procedure. He logged a 2.55 ERA, .197 average-against and a 52/12 Okay/BB ratio in 49 1/3 innings, largely in Excessive-A. He sat at 92-94 mph and reached 97 along with his fastball, backing it up with an efficient low-80s slider.
Royals: Brett Squires, 1B/OFMuch of the eye on the Kansas Metropolis contingent goes to top-five prospects Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen, and rightfully so. However Squires has an fascinating story as a primary baseman who signed as an undrafted free agent out of Oklahoma in 2022 and has been a strong professional performer ever since. He was simply named a 2024 Midwest League end-of-season All-Star, regardless of being restricted to 62 video games for Excessive-A Quad Cities, after hitting .309/.390/.481 with 9 homers and 16 steals. His .481 slugging share and .871 OPS every ranked third amongst 111 Midwest Leaguers with no less than 250 plate appearances, whereas his 149 wRC+ positioned eleventh throughout 263 such hitters in any respect of Excessive-A.
Tigers: Rayner Castillo, RHPThe 20-year-old right-hander started his third straight season within the Rookie-level Florida Advanced League however rapidly pushed himself to Single-A Lakeland in late Might after solely three begins. He was efficient within the Florida State League with a 2.52 ERA however relied extra on floor balls (58.6 p.c of contact) than missed bats (only a 17.3 p.c Okay price) in his 60⅔ innings. Castillo works with each a four-seamer and sinker within the 94-97 mph vary and will get many of the whiffs he does generate with a low-80s slider and a 89-91 mph changeup, the previous being a lot better than the latter.
Twins: Ben Ross, UTILRoss did nothing however hit over three years at Notre Dame, leaving with a profession .405/.471/.758 line that helped him land within the fifth spherical of the 2022 Draft. A former member of the Twins’ High 30, he’s proven off some energy (19 homers in 2023, 11 in 2024) and velocity (20 steals this season), however has struggled making constant contact to make use of his instruments. The AFL may assist him make some changes and he’s already proven he’s snug transferring everywhere in the area, having executed every thing however pitch and catch since turning into a professional.
White Sox: Anthony Hoopii-Tuionetoa, RHPHoopii-Tuionetoa did not enable a run in 9 AFL regular-season appearances whereas serving to Shock win the 2023 championship, then went from the Rangers to the White Sox in a commerce for Robbie Grossman this will likely. Relying totally on a mid-90s fastball that touches 99 mph and a mid-80s slider with two-plane depth when it is on, he recorded a 4.30 ERA and a .223 average-against with a 47/17 Okay/BB ratio in 46 innings.
Angels: David Mershon, INFAs a Draft-eligible sophomore at Mississippi State this previous spring, Mershon posted a wholesome .347/.454/.500 line with extra walks than strikeouts and 27 steals. The Angels nabbed him within the 18th spherical and went over the Day 3 slot to signal him for $255K. In true Angels vogue, they despatched him aggressively to Double-A for his professional debut and he held his personal. He’s one in every of two 2024 draftees at present within the AFL (first-rounder Jac Caglianone is the opposite).
Astros: Joey Mancini, RHPA Fifteenth-rounder out of Boston Faculty in 2022, Mancini reached Double-A this season and ranked sixth in ERA (2.12) and eleventh in average-against (.191) amongst Minor Leaguers with 100 or extra innings. His greatest pitch is his low-80s slider, which he units up with a low-90s fastball.
A’s: Micah Dallas, RHPAfter three years at Texas Tech, Dallas moved to Texas A&M for his fourth season of faculty ball earlier than the A’s took him within the eighth spherical of the 2022 Draft. His first full season didn’t put him on the radar (7.59 ERA, .327 BAA) however his 2024 marketing campaign did. Pitching solely in reduction, the right-hander completed with a 2.94 ERA, .228 BAA and 1.11 WHIP. He walked simply 2.4 per 9 and struck out higher than a batter per inning, because of an often-effective slider.
Mariners: Jason Ruffcorn, RHPOriginally drafted by the Phillies within the eighth spherical of the 2021 Draft as a fifth-year school participant, Ruffcorn couldn’t get a lot traction in his first two full years of professional ball. The son of former massive league hurler Scott Ruffcorn, Jason was acquired by the Mariners in March for money issues and at last bought out of Excessive-A ball, ending the 12 months with a mixed 3.44 ERA, 10.0 Okay/9 price, .225 BAA and 5 saves, utilizing a four-seamer that may miss some bats, a cutter and a sweeper.
Rangers: Marc Church, RHPChurch’s athleticism and arm velocity allow him to generate mid-90s fastballs with super carry and mid-80s sliders with two-plane depth when he is on. Signed for an over-slot $300,000 as an 18th-rounder from an Atlanta highschool in 2019, he was bothered by a strained rotator cuff for a lot of this 12 months. He compiled a 3.22 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 22 1/3 Triple-A innings earlier than making his massive league debut with a scoreless inning on Sept. 28.
Braves: Landon Harper, RHPAfter two years at Pearl River Group Faculty, Harper transferred to Southern Miss and was among the many Division I leaders with 12 saves in 2022. The Braves took a low-risk flier on him within the 14th spherical that summer time and he’s continued to be an efficient reliever as he’s slowly moved up the ladder. He pitched very nicely as soon as he bought to Double-A this 12 months (1.41 ERA, 40/9 Okay/BB ratio), utilizing a full array of pitches and the power to throw a ton of strikes quite than having any plus choices.
Marlins: Jay Beshears, SS/3BDrafted within the sixth spherical out of Duke by the Padres in 2023, Beshears went to the Marlins as a part of a package deal for Tanner Scott and Bryan Hoeing throughout his first full professional season. An offensive-minded utility-type with fringy-to-average instruments, he slashed .238/.338/.338 whereas advancing from Single-A to Excessive-A.
Mets: Jonathan Pintaro, RHPPintaro opened the season with the Glacier Vary Riders within the unbiased Pioneer League, struck out 23 in 14⅓ innings and signed with the Mets on June 3. He made 15 begins within the New York system between Excessive-A, Double-A and Triple-A and completed with a 2.68 ERA and 75 strikeouts in 74 innings. The 26-year-old right-hander, who throws solely out of the stretch, includes a pair of fastballs within the 93-95 mph vary, an 89-91 cutter, an 82-85 mph slider with longer break and a mid-80s changeup. A strong Fall League may make him a legit possibility within the Majors subsequent 12 months, mirroring Zach Penrod’s journey from the Pioneer League to MLB within the Purple Sox system.
Nationals: Dustin Saenz, LHPSaenz was among the finest pitching performers within the Washington system in 2023 (3.43 ERA, 1.18 WHIP in 123⅓ innings at Excessive-A and Double-A) however wants innings after being restricted to solely 42⅔ this summer time. He’s a pitchability lefty with good management of a full arsenal — a 90-92 mph fastball, low-80s slider, low-80s changeup and upper-70s curveball. The Texas A&M product is Rule 5-eligible this offseason however may must dominate within the desert to say his place on the 40-man roster.
Phillies: Tristan Garnett, LHPSix-foot-six left-handers are all the time value keeping track of, proper? Garnett signed as a free agent at age 23 in July 2021 and he spent the majority of his time on the mound in 2024 with Double-A Studying, lacking bats (11.9 Okay/9) but additionally battling the strike zone for the primary time (6.2 BB/9). He additionally missed practically two months of the season as a consequence of harm, however he does have a fastball that now touches 95-96 mph and a changeup that’s an out pitch, together with a slider.
Brewers: Mark Manfredi, LHPMilwaukee has two high quality candidates to be future closers in Jacob Misiorowski and Craig Yoho, however don’t sleep on Manfredi. The 2023 ninth-rounder out of Dayton transitioned to extra of a reduction function at Excessive-A Wisconsin in his first full season, bumped his velocity as much as the purpose at which he was touching 97-98 mph, upped his fastball utilization and struck out 95 over 76 innings. His low three-quarters arm slot helps give him a top quality slider as nicely, although he must work on his management to climb the ladder. Manfredi nonetheless has sufficient warmth to let it eat and vault him towards the Majors subsequent season.
Cardinals: Ixan Henderson, LHPAn eighth-round pick of Fresno State final 12 months, Henderson made a strong first impression by main St. Louis Minor Leaguers (min. 100 IP) with a 2.34 ERA over 104 frames between Single-A and Excessive-A. The 22-year-old left-hander works with a full five-pitch repertoire (four-seam, sinker, changeup, curveball, slider). He can throw to all quadrants of the zone with that blend, serving to his effectiveness, although he didn’t fairly miss as many bats on the greater degree this summer time (26.3 p.c Okay price vs. 19.5).
Cubs: Vince Reilly, RHPReilly went undrafted in 2022 after three years of faculty at Hawaii and Grand Canyon, then signed with the Athletics and pitched simply 4 2/3 innings earlier than getting launched in June 2023. Picked up by the Cubs this March, he displayed a 93-98 mph fastball and promising slider and splitter whereas posting a 3.88 ERA, .213 average-against and 52/16 Okay/BB ratio in 53 1/3 innings.
Pirates: Sammy Siani, OFThe youthful brother of Cardinals outfielder Michael Siani, Sammy was the Pirates’ choice at No. 37 general within the 2019 Draft and he struggled on the plate over his first two full seasons of professional ball due largely to a particularly steep swing path that left holes he couldn’t cowl. He labored to revamp his swing and minimize down his in-zone miss price significantly, enabling him to maneuver from Excessive-A to Double-A this season. He completed off strongly there, leaving the Pirates a bit of bullish about his offensive upside whereas feeling very assured about his above-average outfield protection.
Reds: Tyler Callihan, 2B/OFOnce a high 10 prospect within the Reds system, he struggled to make a real offensive influence with a .707 OPS in 2022 and .716 the next 12 months, although there have been some small indicators of life when he was bumped as much as Double-A for the primary time that summer time. He did hit 9 homers and submit a .788 OPS in 2024, largely at Double-A, however he missed two months of the season. He’s all the time made first rate contact, however the energy hasn’t come whereas he’s struggled to discover a true defensive dwelling (it’s wanting like second base and left area now).
D-backs: Kyle Amendt, RHPPitching at Excessive-A, Double-A and Triple-A, the 2023 ninth-rounder out of Dallas Baptist posted a 40.3 p.c strikeout price that ranked fifth amongst 1,852 Minor Leaguers with no less than 40 innings in 2024. Amendt throws with an over-the-top supply and might get trip on his 89-92 mph fastball, however throughout his time with Triple-A Reno, he went extra to his upper-80s cutter and upper-70s curveball — two pitches value watching in Statcast video games at Salt River.
Dodgers: Eriq Swan, RHPA high-upside venture, Swan is big (6-foot-6, 240 kilos), can attain 101 mph along with his fastball and flashes a good mid-80s slider. He additionally had a 6.54 ERA in three seasons at Center Tennessee State earlier than the Dodgers made him a supplemental fourth-round choose in 2023, and he logged a 5.16 ERA with 29 strikeouts in 22 2/3 innings at Single-A this summer time whereas coping with minor arm soreness.
Giants: William Kempner, RHPWhen Kempner is at his greatest, he can run his fastball into the higher 90s, again it up with a strong mid-80s slider and flash an efficient upper-80s changeup. However the 2022 third-rounder from Gonzaga missed all of this season with foot and shoulder illnesses.
Padres: Brendan Durfee, CDurfee performed three seasons at Division III Cal Lutheran earlier than transferring to UC Santa Barbara for 2023-24. He was a First Workforce All-Massive West catcher after hitting .349/.455/.566 with 9 homers in 46 video games for the Gauchos and went within the 14th spherical, signing for $150,000. He continued to hit for Single-A Lake Elsinore (.893 OPS in 20 video games), however the Fall League, at the same time as hitter-friendly as it’s, will present a much bigger check popping out of the gate. Pairing Durfee with Ethan Salas in Peoria provides the Javelinas an intriguing catching group.
Rockies: McCade Brown, RHPA enormous 2021 season at Indiana helped Brown soar into the third spherical of that summer time’s Draft and his premium uncooked stuff landed him within the Rockies’ High 30 in 2022 and 2023. The 6-foot-6 right-hander can crank his high-spin fastball into the higher 90s and he can miss bats with sharp breaking stuff. He missed the 2023 season as a consequence of Tommy John surgical procedure and returned with appreciable rust on the decrease ranges this 12 months.
